12 Incredible Day Trips from Cusco, Peru
Cusco is a bustling city, nestled high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, that’s a unique mix of Spanish colonial architecture and rich Inca history. While Cusco is worth exploring in and of itself, most visitors spend a lot of their time in this area outside of the city, experiencing all that the surrounding Sacred Valley and the Andes Mountains have to offer. If you want to dive into this colorful region for yourself, here’s 12 incredible day trips from Cusco to consider adding to your Peru itinerary.
20 Incredible Things to do in Cusco, Peru
If you’re headed to Peru, it’s likely that you’re going to hit one city—Cusco. This city once served as the capital of the Inca empire and now acts as the gateway to Machu Picchu, the iconic Inca ruins that have been named one of the Seven Wonders of the World. While most travelers base themselves in Cusco to visit Machu Picchu and the surrounding Sacred Valley, there’s tons to see and explore in this beautiful colonial city itself. So if you’re looking to dive in and experience this incredible city, here are 20 awesome things to do in Cusco.
Humantay Lake Hike: The Most Beautiful Day Hike Near Cusco
The Andes Mountains of Peru are known for their epic peaks, massive glaciers, and technicolor alpine lakes. The Humanity Lake hike, located about three and a half hours from the colonial city of Cusco, packs all of those features—and a LOT more—in one incredible day hike. But there’s actually lots of different ways that you can see and experience this trail. So here’s everything you need to know about the Humantay Lake hike, one of the most beautiful day hikes near Cusco.
Rainbow Mountain Hike: Everything You Need to Know
Rainbow Mountain (also called the “Mountain of Seven Colors” or “Vinicunca” in the native Quechua language), located in the Andes Mountains of Peru, truly lives up to its name, with colorful striations streaked across its slopes. Due to its otherworldly appearance, the Rainbow Mountain hike has quickly become one of the most popular day trips from the bustling colonial city of Cusco. But, due to its remote location, extremely high elevation, and the INSANE crowds that swarm the mountaintop, actually being able to enjoy your visit here isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Here’s everything you need to know about the Rainbow Mountain hike, from how to be safe on the trail to how to beat the massive crowds.
How Much the Inca Trail Cost Us (Every Penny We Spent!)
The Inca Trail, located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, is one of the most epic adventures that you can have in South America. This iconic trek takes you past dozens of ancient Inca ruins and some of the most breathtaking vistas of the Andes Mountains and culminates at Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. However, hiking the trail doesn’t come cheap—in fact, it’s the most expensive trek that my husband, Justin, and I have ever completed. If you’re wanting to plan this incredible trek for yourself, here’s exactly how much the Inca Trail cost us, from the hike itself to some of the smaller items we would have never thought about.
How to Get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, Peru
Machu Picchu is one of the best preserved Incan ruin sites on the planet AND is one of the Seven Wonders of the World! So, it’s no surprise that this is the most popular attraction in Peru, with a whopping 1.5 MILLION visitors per year. And, yet, it’s actually not straightforward to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, the city that serves as the main springboard for most people exploring the Sacred Valley and other Incan sites in the surrounding area. In fact, it actually generally involves at least three modes of transportation! Sounds confusing? It is! But we’ve broken down in this article exactly how to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, so you can experience this Wonder of the World all for yourself.
Inca Trail: The ULTIMATE Hiking Guide
The Inca Trail is arguably the most iconic trail in all of South America. This trek, typically hiked over the course of four days, follows along the ancient steps of the Inca people in the Sacred Valley of Peru all the way to the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu, one of the best preserved ruin sites on the planet and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Along the way, you’ll pass dozens of Inca ruins sites—most of which only a handful of tourists get to see a day—and some of the most spectacular views of the Andes Mountains. To hike this iconic trek, though, you need to do a bit of leg work—both before and once you hit the trail! Here’s everything you need to know about hiking the Inca Trail.